davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-31

wouldn't go in anywheres, and from Twin
so long on salt provisions, some signs of
scurvy was beginnin' to make its appearance,
and the old man encouraged the passengers
to fish for albatross over the stern, and told
US for ard for to keep sharp lookout for
porpuses and have the iron ready and he'd
Civ us, he said, bottle of grog for every por-
pus we took.
You might think it funny as he had any
grog, and him bein' hundred days out, but
you see, in the fust place, he didn't hyst
much, and in the next, the bark were half
loaded with liquor, cigars and tobacco, every
body thinkin' that these creature comforts
would be in demand and of course every body
shippin' of 'em.
There are little black and white porpus
that never see anywhere else 'cept off Cape
Horn, that are equal to the finest venison
arter bein' killed couple of days. The in
wards can't be told from pigs, and the brains
are equal to any that was ever into the head
of calf. The thigh of the young aibatross
are as good as any veal; so you see it weren't
no wonder that the old man were anxious
for us to catch as many Of 'em as possible.
The albatross are caught with cod hook
and line, towed in the wake of the ship. The
bird gifts the hook under his beak and can't
let go, and you pull him in jist like fish.
They are tremendous big birds, some of 'em
weighing full fifty pounds, and measure
from ten to fifteen feet from the tip OF one
wing to the tip of the other.
AS | was sayin', we'd just got through
the Straits of LIE Marie when we raised a
school of porpuses, and bein' on the fore
cas'l at the time jumped out on the back
ropes and cast off the iron from its beckett
on the martingale, and in less time than I'm
tellin' you had hove through and through
one of the black and white porpuses. In
heavin' the iron howsever my foot slipped
off the back rope and away | went over
board.
eff you've ever been aboard ship when
they struck porpus you can have some ldea
of the excitement there is and don t sup
pose anybody missed me till they got the
porpus on board. At any rate If it hadn't
been for one of those cod lines which were
TOWN. over the starn for albatross Wouldn
be here on this bluff at this minute. re-
member the old bark movin' swiftly past me
as I come to the top of the water, and 1t
were the fust time me or anybody else ever
seen her go swiftly. She was not, in fact,
going more than four knots, butte me IN the
water she seemed to be goin' fourteen. In
jiffy, | were i'll her wake, and were about
thinkin' I'd be left, when | felt somethln
rubin along my face, and lnst1nctlVely
grabbin' it, | found it were one OF these COD
lines. tried to hold fast to 1t, but found 1t
impossible. 1t was so small that could not
prevent its slippin' through my hand, when,
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-31

allof q sudden, there were sharp jerk at the
leather belt which were around my waist, in
which was my sheath knife and L found
myself bein' rapidly dragged through the
water like hooked albatross. The cod
hook at the end of the line had caught under
the belt and I was taken in tow.
''How long | could have tOWed there with
out drownn' can't say, or whether the line
would have held my weight for any great
length of time I had often cursed the old
Mersey for her lack of speed, but now I
blessed her for her slothful motion, which
was my salvation. All the men who had
been tendin the lines aft had run for'ard to
see the porpus, and my faint cries were not
heard by the man at the wheel, cause he
were shut up in a wheel-house. Howsever
the chap which was farthest for ard on the
porpus line had seen me go, and as soon as
he could be heard, mid the hubbub of gittin
in the porpus, he Civ the alarm, and at last
arter I'd been gone full five minutes, the cry
of man overheard wee passed along, and
the helm were put down.
II were jist about glvin' up, cause the
strain on my arms were tremendous, not
withstandin the hook bein' fast in my belt
and almost every half-minute my head
would 90 under, and | had took aboard con-
siderable water, so | were right glad to see
the stlddin sails liftin' and then takin
aback the bOoms snappn' short Oft like
pl
''All the boats the old bark had were
turned bottom up on gallows frame, and it
would have took from ten to fifteen minutes
to have gotten either of them overheard, and
only for the codline I'd a been a drowned
man. The bark as she came to lost her way,
and the strain on my arms relaxed. Then /
found the line slackin' as the old hooker
gathered stairway, and | took in the slack,
shoutin' with all my might for 'em to Civ
me bowline over the starn. 1t were, how
ever, some time afore could make anybody
hear, as all hands was amidships gittin' the
boat out. Finally, howsever, the man at the
wheel heerd me and comm out he looked
over the starn and seen where I were and
passed along the word. A few minutes later
had bovine round me- and were hauled
on board list as it struck four bells in the
fust night watch and it were only Jist gittin'
dark.
"For some time previous there had been q
bank of cumuli risin' at the southwest, q
sure sign in that region of hard gale from
that quarter, and while l were goin' for ard
for to shift myself | heerd the order Civ for
to clew up the royals and to'gallan' sails, and
by the time | come out agin the jib and
sDanker was in, the mainsail hauled up and
the topsail-yards was clewed down, with Or
ders for to close reef both topsails, and by
eight bells (midnight) the old hooker was a
bobbin' up and down agin the long Antarc
tic sea, with nothin' onto her but close
reefed maintopsail and reefed toresail, the
wind BLOWN hard gale from sou west.
THE whole of the next day, and, for that
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-31

of the v'yage, and then he says to 'em,
his name were Jackson, Now, gentlemen,
all of you take back your revolvers; l am
not at all afraid of you, and L could easily
have stopped this business in the beginnin' by
shootin' a lot of you as the law would have
justified me in dom, but did not want to
do this. Now, take up your pistols and re-
member I give you fair warnln' shan't in
terrupt the v'yage agin on your account,
but the fr1st man as shows the least sign of
mutiny or INSTRUMENTATION I'll put bullet
through his head without hesitation
"Then all hands was called and we put the
canvas onto her agin and that ended the
matter; they never tried it on agin.
"You see, sir, a skipper aboard ship is
absolute monarch and the law makes him
80. | know'd case where the owner were
goin' passenger in ship bound from New
Orleans to Liverpool. Well, him and the
captain quarreled, goin' down the river, and
had fist fight on deck, and the captain
whipped and the owner wanted to be sent
back, and the captain sent him back by the
steamer, and went on. Of course he took
care to draw in Liverpool all the wages likely
to be due him up to arrival in New Ork,
and as only the captain can collect the freight
this was easy. He were discharged, of course,
as soon as the ship got back, and the owner
sued him for assault. Meantime the owner
had talked pretty freely about the skipper.
and the skipper sued him for defamation of
character. Both cases were tried, and the
owner got a verdict of six cents, while the
skipper recovered 81, 800.
'But were talkin' about our Christmas
dinner off Cape Horn. By the time we got
up with the Horn, or rather with Staten
Land, we was over hundred days out, and
grass over foot long had growed all over
our bottom, so that with wind on the
quarter, a fresh whole-sail breeze, we
couldn't git more than four knots out of her
to save our lives. We got a slant through
the Straits of LIE Marie, goin through as 1
mind on hhe oath of December, and haulin'
to the ard, with topmast and to'gallan'
studdin sails set fore and aft and both royals
pullin' like young elephants.
1.-The skipper had continued obstinate and
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-31
ELECTRIC LIGHT.
Some Interesting Facts Concerning Its Eff
feet on Books.

Some Interesting Facts Concerning Its Eff
feet on Books.
The Revue International de J. Electricits OBJ
serves that Professor Wiesner, Of Vienna,
has drawn attention to the discoloration of
books in the Technical School Library, due
to the use of the electric light. A large num-
Der of the works have become very yellow,
and the director of the school requested
Professor Wiesner to ascertain the cause.
Experiment has shown that the discolora-
ton is due to the acti on of light upon the
paper containing ligneous substances, such
as wood, straw and jute. When the lignine
is removed by chemical means, the effect is
not produced. The following is said to be
due to phenomenon of oxidation. Ordi-
nary dispersed daylight exerts very slight
action, especially in dry room. On the
other hand, the arc electric light and all in
tense luminous sources emit numerous re-
FRANC ible rays, and these favor the yellow
ing. The same process of following we
know takes place when papers bleached with
certain substances are exposed to strong sun
light.
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-31
SHOOTING ARROWS.
How the Long Bow Used to be Stretched
in Ancient Times.

How the Long Bow Used to be Stretched
in Ancient Times.
In the days when the buffalo was found
in vast herds on the Western plains, there
were Indians, who while ridins, at gallop
could send an arrow through buffalo's
body. Remarkable as this shooting was yet
it did not equal that reached by the archers
of ancient times.
Mr.. Dixon, in his history of Gairlock,
Scotland, says that the MacRaes of that dis
trict were such skillful archers that they
could hit man at the distance of four and
even five hundred yards.
He instances the killing of serving-man
at 500 yards, and of two men killing several
McLeods at 400 yards. Lest the reader should
discount the distance of the range, the author
mentions several wonderful shots made by
Turks.
In 1894 the Turkish ambassador shot an
arrow, in a field near London, AIS wards
against the wind and 4S2 yards with the
wind.
The secretary of the ambassador, on hear
ing the expressions of surprise from the
English gentlemen present, said the Sultan
had shot 500 yards. This was the great
est performance of modern days, but a
pillar, standing on plain near CONSTANT
nople, recorded shots ranging up to 800
yards.
The Christmas time comes on apace and
charity begins to hum.
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-31

main chance, with fried porpus brains as
special dish for me, SEEM as l had nearly
lost the number of my mess a catchin' of
him. Thea we had fricaseed albatross thighs.
with plum duff for desert and the whole
washed down with whiskey, the old man
havin KEEP his word as to the reward for
catchin' the porpus. Now, considerin' that
we was about 120 days at sea, this here were
remember for the rest of our lives and am
quite sure sir, that l shan't never forget it,
SEEM as how I come so near 'slippin' my
wind for long due a-catchin' that porpus."
ROLAND +. COFFIN.
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-31
She Admitted il Wonld.

eIf I should tell you, dear" he said
that my love for you had grown cold, that
Ihad ceased to care for You, and that the
happy time when shall claim you as my
ownest own will never be, would it really be
a trial to you. darling?n
"Yes, George, shyly admitted the girl,
'.itwould be breach Of promise trial. "-Nea
York Szss
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-31
An Incredulous Texan.

Texan, in New York for the first time
I've been up in Central Park looking at the
animals.
Hotel Clerk-Well, what do you think
of 'em?
Texan-Humph. They can't fool me if
am from Texas.
What do you mean?"
'Its all humbug. There amt no such
animals, nohow."
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-31

ayes, very generally. My correspondence
is very heavy. Next to Mrs. Cleveland's,
mine is said to be the largest CORE
spondence of any woman's in the United
States, and from not only every State in
the Union but from almost every country
of Europe.'
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-31
Early and Often.
HAS any,

Mamma-lt's very Late Emily. Has any
body taken you down to supper?
Fair Debutante (who has fine, healthy
appetite)-Oh, yes, mamma, several peo-
ple.-EIehdnge,
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-31

The Christmas time comes on apace and
charity begins to hum.
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-31
Progress en- Silhouette.

AS an evidence of the progress made by the
negroes in theSouth since the war, it is shown
by late statistics that in three States Georgia,
South Carolina and Louisiana-they pay
taxes on $4S, 600, 600 worth of property.
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-31

matter, for a couple of weeks.
driftin' us far to the east ard of
Staten Land, but it were under
SIGH circumstances that we had
our Christmas dinner, sartinly the
very finest meal l ever had in my
born days.
I'm some way, which | never
inquired about, some raisins had
been obtained from one of the
boxes in the hold, so as we could
have plums in our duff, and
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-31
OFF CAPE HORN.
A VOYAGE TO CALIFORNIA IN IT'S
EARLY DAYS.

The Kind of Vessels That Sailed to the
Land of Gold in '49-Discord Between
the Captain and the Ships Owners-A
"Porpus' Dinner on Christmas Day.
St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-31

The small boy now puts in eight hours
day fiattening his nose against the windows
Ct confectionery and toy stores.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-06-04

phere,' says the inventor, "the particles
of vapor freeze and become ice vessicles,
or spicula, and are propelled by electric
and wind currents to the poles" Strong
currents of electricity are sent up to the
balloon and complete electric communi-
cation established between the earth and
the higher strata of the air The steel
points on the balloon becoming electri-
fed, attract the vessicles of vapor,
described above, ''impinge them,' to use
Cahilrs language, and precipitate them
below the moisture belt, where they melt
and fall to the earth as rain. TO assist
this, the reflectors of heat, &c, play an
important part.
Another scheme is to have tall towers
of iron of telescope construction erected
upon high eminences. Inside of these
towers tremendous currents OF warm arr
and steam are injected upward to the
atmospheric zones of ice, thereby sub
serving the melting of lice spicula," as
described above.
The inventors third scheme consists
of immense burning glasses placed on
the surface of the earth of such magni-
tude that the suns rays will pierce
through cloudland and focus in that mys-
terious region that floats around the
globe, melting the ice spicula and pro-
ducing rain. Cahill was thwarted IN his
philanthropic designs, as he was refused
a patent, but he still feels the proud
consciousness that if the earth goes to
smash it will not be his fault.
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-06-04

life, which he tried to sell at auction, but
found that sort of life precarious. While
engaged in his Bohemian work he took
lessons from Eastman Johnson, the
painter 81 The Old Kentucky Home"
At that time, Mr.. Taylor says, he was
but, having studio in the University
building where MIR. Johnson was estab
ished, the latter kindly took an inter-
est in him and instructed him in colors and
painting, as well as criticising his work.
During this period Mr. Taylor painted
which he sold to dealers and at auction.
When the Graphic was established in
1873 he joined its staff and began to
draw cartoons and do general work. His
first cartoon was a picture of a paper build
ing, with small outline pictures, explanatory
of the subject, and figures of the directors of
the Industrial Exhibition scheme throwing
dust in the peoples eyes. He thought car
tooning would be an immense success, and
deemed it good plan to acquire store of
varied knowledge and to discipline his mind;
so, in 1878, he entered Columbia Law School.
During the first year he continued to draw
for the Graphic;; but as the strain was too
resigned from that paper and devoted the
whole of 1874 to the study of law. He re-
ceived his diploma in May, 1874, and, at the
first alumni meeting, few weeks later, he
was elected secretary. VIM. Walter Phelps
was chosen alumni orator at the same time.
Mr.. Taylor had as classmates at Columbia
Law School Robert Ray Hamilton, mem
Der of the New York Assembly for three
terms; Hugh Reilly, now district attorney of
Albany, n. Y; VIM. C. Gulliver, one of the
directors of the new Madison-square Garden
scheme, and brother of Theodore Roose-
velt, the latter being then in the junior
class as was also VIM. Waldorf Astor, ex
minister to Italy. After leaving the law
school Mr.. Taylor formed legal firm, in
company with Edward Nicol1 and Adam E.
Schatz but he withdrew after six months
and returned to the Graphic, where he re-
mained until 1882, when he took studio
and did general work, which he exhib-
tied at the exhibitions. After leaving the
Graphic Mr.. Taylor was elected member of
the Salmagundi Club and American Black
and White Society. He continued to work
for himself until April, 1885, when he joined
the staff of Puck. Last summer, in comp my
with Julian Ralph, he ''did" the fashion bile
seaside resorts for the Sunday Sun The 'ull-
page accounts were very exhaustive, and tnree
days were devoted to each place. While the
sketches were rough and hurriedly executed,
Mr.. Taylor says they were true to life. In ap-
pearance Taylor is the beau-ideal of an artist
He is six feet in height; has large head and
avery long one, which is covered with bushy
hair, slightly tinged with gray. His nose is
large and rather pointed, and he wears a
medium mustache and side-W.4ssAers. sIke is
married and has two children. His lAs h
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-06-04

drew for the comic German papers. Finding
this did not pay, he joined a dramatic troupe
and assumed at will the role of TRACE
dian and comedian. The company foun-
dered, and he became a prestidigitateur,
doing the accomplice and assistant act
About 1869, feeling that the country was too
small for him, he came to America, settling
in St. Louis. There he began to work in
earnest Most of his time was spent in max
ing designs for photographers, but he was too
ambitious for that work and induced some
friends to aid him in establishing the German
Puck. ST. Louis was poor city for such a
paper, and the venture lived only a few
months. Thwarted, but not discouraged
keppler came to New York in 1872. His
genius was at once recognized, and he and
Matt Morgan drew cartoons on Leslie's in
opposition to Mast on Hdrper's. He re-
mained with Leslie until 1876, when, in COM
pany with A. SchWartZmann, he revived the
German Puck, the English edition of which
appeared the following March. KeppIer
was not mistaken, and the paper was an
assured success almost from the start. He
has always been quick in appreciating young
genius, and there was never anything in the
country too good or too expensive. for Puck,
which has been a father to the whole
younger generation of cartoonists and a
fortune to its owners.
Personally, Mr.. Keppler impresses one as
dashing brilliant man. He is five feet ten
inches IN height, OF military bearing, with
large mustache and goatee. Great masses of
hair seem to float on the top of his head: lad:
His temperament is quick and nervous, but
his disposition is very genial. His home is
in Inwood- d-on-the-Hudson, where he has
beautiful house, surrounded with all the
comforts that success and the fulfllment of
long-deferred hopes can afford
BERNHARD GILLIAN.
Bernhard Gillian, prince of cartoonists,
was born in Bambury, Oxford, England,
October %, 1856, and is still young man,
considering the reputation he has won. He
came to New York fifteen years ago and
entered lawyers office, but following the
natural bent Of his mind he covered more
foolscap pages with character sketches than
with legal notes, and after couple of years
the lawyer found that he could dispense
with young Gillam's services. Mr.. Gillian
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-06-04

conceived the idea that he could draw car
toons. He spent four days on a draw
ing for Wild Oats, and was rewarded
by receiving the muniicent sum of 81
for the idea, the drawing being declined.
This experience lessened his enthusiasm,
and for the next six years he became
sort of artistic tramp, being by turns
an engraver, portrait painter and designer for
show cards, etc. In 1879 he accepted an en-
gagement as cartoonist on Frank Leslie S
Weekly Mr.. Leslie dying soon afterward
and the policy of the paper being changed,
Mr.. Gillian went upon the Graphic, for
which paper he drew for some time. Dur
ing the Garfield Hancock campaign he was
upon the staff of Ha,per's Weekly drawing in
conjunction with Mast. In 1881 the owners
of Puck sent for Mr.. Gillian and engaged
him at a high salary. Preceding the cam
pagn of 1884 he invented the "Tattooed
Man" which created such a sensation at the
time. In January, 1886, he, in company
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-06-04
CRANK INVENTORS.
TWO GENTUSES WHO ARE ENTI-
TIED TO STAND AT THE HEAD.
Grand PhiIanthropic Schemes-CO1. Pinch
overs Method of Helping Dogs to Turn
Corners-Michael CahilFs Plan for Pre-
venting the Snash-up of the World.

No institution in the world receives so
cations as the patent Office at Wash
ington. The fantastic ideas of cranks
Of the country fly to like particles
to magnet. The applications that have
been made for patents on perpetual
motion machines are simply innumera-
BILE, and any occurrence producing a
strong impression upon the public mind
is sure to be followed by perfect storm
of queer Inventions When President
Garfield was lying upon his sick bed in
the White House the cranks sent in all
kinds of models of Inventions for re-
ducing the temperature of the sick room
Applications for models of destructive
torpedoes, flying machines, etc, are of
daily occurrence, but the palm for gro
tesque inventions is awarded by the
much-enduring officials to Mr.. Michael
Cahill and Morris Pinchover, Esq
Both of these gentlemen are well
known at Washington, and it must be
said of them that their inventions are
thoroughly philanthropic in their con-
ception. Mr.. Pinchover has noticed
with deep concern the difficulties which
he thinks beset dogs when they turn
corners, hence he has invented device
for adjustable dogs tails. The colonels
title is of unknown derivation, but as
titles are very cheap in this country,
nobody begrudges him his colonelcy.
He is short and wiry, his hair is worn
long like the typical cowboy or an Indian
herb doctor, and he generally wears a
slouch hat a la naizitaire. He carries with
him cylindrical tin case, which contains
maps and diagrams of his great invention
Here is the description given of it in his
application for patent which was ac-
companied by this diagram:
St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-06-04

Gated between the two pole belts of the
globe, thereby preventing the great rains
at the poles, which are, as the theorist
claims, mainly instrumental in accumu-
lating the enormous mountains of ice in
those frigid regions.
Mr.. Cahill has had some difficulty in
getting patent lawyer to frame his
specifications, but by the operation of
some law of sympathy in due time he
over, who made out his specifications for
him and prepared the accompanying dia-
grams.
One device is as follows: He directs
that large captive balloons, armed with
steel points and big reflectors of light,
heat and sound, be sent up at convenient
places all over the earth's surface. High
above the moisture zone of the atmos-